eco-chic design

eco-chic candles made from 100% natural soy wax

Over the years I bought many eco-chic gifts at the store therapie on the Upper West Side in NYC. The self-powered flashlights were great stocking stuffers and the coin purses made of 95% recycled post consumer material were cute money gift cardholders. Unfortunately Therapie is closing down but some of their eco-friendly products are still online. It also had a wide selection of natural and organic beauty products like Weleda, Dr. Hauschka, and Avalon Organics. Just recently I discovered Ecoya.

Australian-based Ecoya produces home fragrances, candles, and body care products. It combines high-end looking design with environmentally responsible ingredients. The company’s name comes from ECOlogical and sOYA (as in soy wax) which symbolizes its commitment to sustainable business practices. I was not surprised to learn that the founders of New Zealand based 42 Below vodka created Ecoya since the branding is gorgeous. The beautifully designed candle range is made from 100% vegetable based soy wax, free of environmentally harmful petroleum, paraffin or beeswax. All soy wax candles are handcrafted and made from soy that is sourced from sustainable farms. The wicks are made from 100% natural, lead-free cotton. What’s great about soy candles is that they generate up to 90% less soot than traditional paraffin wax. This reduces their carbon emissions. I’ve also been using the Ecoya Lip Balm lately. It’s free of parabens, sulfates, propylene glycols, silicones or artificial colorings - great for winter. This is my farewell post to therapie for now hoping that it’ll reopen soon with many eco-chic finds. I’ll make sure to stop by.

eco-modern felt rugs based on ancient traditions

Due to the snowstorm in the North East last week I had an unexpected layover in San Francisco. Trying to make the best of it I came across the sustainable felt rugs by Peace Industry on Hayes Street. I was impressed that an artist at the store was making bowls and ottomans from leftover felt pieces while consulting potential clients. It was really cool to witness her creative process while she explained the company’s story.

Peace Industry’s founders Melina and Dodd Raissnia established their own felt rug workshop in Iran to honor the ancient art of felt rug making. It took them several trips to Tehran and lots of research to identify a small number of villages where a few old men practice this unique art. Their ancient felting process uses only very mild soap to wash the wool instead of chemicals or toxins. The only other ingredients for the eco-friendly rugs are wool and biodegradable vegetable dyes. Just last year Peace Industry had to relocate their shop to Turkey due to US sanctions against Iran. But they kept the same sustainable and fair trade principles. All eco-modern rugs are hand-made in small batches from 100% wool felt and natural dyes. I love the modern patterns that are achieved by adding felt shapes, dyed loose wool or yarn for finer details. The result is a very strong and dense textile that is naturally stain-resistant and non-absorbent. Something that certainly comes in handy for the occasional spills at eco-modern homes and families.

the ultimate eco-luxury in bedding that’s effortlessly chic

My last highlights from NYIGF were the incredibly luxurious and sustainable throws by Sefte. Their gorgeous knits are hand-crocheted by artisans in the high Andes of Peru made from organic yarns that include alpaca, baby alpaca, merino wool and cotton. The whole collection looked stunning and felt incredibly soft to the touch. My two favorite designs, the hand-crocheted Paya throw in cream and charcoal and the Kimsa throw in 5 different colorways are both made of 100% baby alpaca. In case you didn’t know like myself baby alpaca does not refer to the age of the animal but to the diameter of the hair. The fiber might come from the first clip of the shearling alpaca or the softest part of the adult alpaca, the chest. No wonder it’s so rare and high-end looking. The pigments used to dye the throws are environmentally friendly and Oeko-Tex certified to ensure the absence of harmful substances to human health.

What made me appreciate the elegant designs even more was to learn that the yarn for the throws is purchased through the Mirasol project in Peru. The Mirasol project is based on fair-trade to ensure that the Andean alpaca shepherds receive a better price for their yarn. It covers the cost of sustainable production plus an extra premium that’s invested in social or economic development projects. The Mirasol project encourages the continuation of ancient weaving traditions. And I can easily see any of Sefte's eco-chic throws become a family heirloom as well.

sustainable pillows designed around communities at NYIGF

One of my favorite products at NYIGF this week were the Geo Spiral Embroidery Alpaca Blend Pillows by Carpenter + Company. I discovered them through the sustainability display since I loved the modern design combined with high-quality and natural materials. Once I met the designer and founder Patti Carpenter I was really impressed by the company’s mission. She mentioned that the nesting circles on the pillows are inspired by their reoccurring theme within indigenous embroidery but also represent a sense of community. And that’s what her work is all about.   

Carpenter + Company helps to conserve, sustain, and support traditional craftsmanship in Bolivia and Guatemala by encouraging younger generations to continue the skills through fair trade wages that are set by the artisans themselves. It enables indigenous men to stay with their families instead of seeking migrant work. In the case of the Geo Spiral Embroidery Alpaca Blend Collection the designer works with artisans from the Alto Plano regions of Bolivia. They use centuries-old indigenous techniques like pedal loom weaving and hand embroidery to create the beautiful pillows. Alpaca is a natural and sustainable fiber and gives those eco-modern pillows a very luxurious, almost silky look and feel. It has no lanolin which makes it hypoallergenic. There’s also a matching throw in the same color combination. My favorite pillow though was the same design in heather grey with light green stitching. It looks very chic and is something to look forward to for fall.

modern decor for eco-friendly nurseries and homes at NYIGF

You don’t need to have children to fall for Petit Collage’s modern designs with a vintage twist. They make great home accessories for eco-minded kids and grown-ups alike. I’ve always admired the folksy yet modern look of their bamboo mobiles through Branch and was thrilled to see them in person this week. The sustainable mobile designs range from farm animals to owl families and are laser-cut from sustainably harvested bamboo plywood. The latest addition is the forest friends mobile that includes a squirrel, a fox, a deer and a bear with her cub. And of course, bamboo is a rapidly renewable resource. Petit Collage produces additional eco-friendly product lines with  the same playful sensibility. It’s no surprise since the company was founded by San Francisco based artist and designer Lorena Siminovich who has illustrated numerous children’s books. Other products that caught my eye were the collages made from found, vintage, and painted papers applied onto FSC certified maple plywood that’s formaldehyde-free. All designs are limited editions and hand made in her studio. The colorful collages are incredibly charming with simplistic animal characters or nature themes. Then there’s the eco-friendly animal alphabet poster collection printed with soy-based ink on 100% post-consumer recycled paper. The posters are a fun way to learn the alphabet and come in multiple color schemes to complement any eco-modern home. And since the designer knows that moms are busy there’s even a key on the bottom that displays the animal names.

green your life with eco-smart accessories

Just recently I rediscovered Econscious Market, a fantastic e-commerce site based in Boulder with a great selection of eco-modern designers. The company sells a mix of eco-friendly or socially responsible products and donates up to 10% of every purchase to non-profit organizations of your choice from their website. And there are many great causes to choose from. 

One of their eco-modern designers that I love is Josh Jakus at FUZ. The sustainable felt designs for his handbags and home accessories are super-smart and playful. I’m sure you have seen his clever napkin hugs made out of 100% recycled black rubber or 100% wool felt in various bright colors before. His handbags made from factory excess felt are created from a flat surface with the help of a zipper. The contrast of the grey industrial felt with the accent colors of the zippers in orange, green, or blue looks modern. There’s a really fun animation on his website that you have to check out. With the click of a mouse all five UM bags transform at the same time from two-dimensional shapes into structured bags. The efficiency of FUZ’s designs results in the reduction of energy-consuming machine time. Plus everything is manufactured locally in California. Somehow I like the simple elegance of FUZ’s protective wine pocket or media pocket pouch even more. Both make great green gifts for house warming parties or work related events through their sleek designs. Giving never looked better.

chic and compostable dinnerware made from fallen palm leaves

It was great to see VerTerra’s products mixed in with reusable dinnerware at the St. Julien Hotel in Boulder during the LOHAS Forum last month. I've always loved the elegant design of the disposable plates, bowls and trays but never had a chance to use them. They are made with fallen palm leaves, steam, heat, and pressure only. You can’t get more pure than that. The idea originated during a trip to India where VerTerra’s founder Michael Dwork witnessed a local woman pressing leaves fallen from trees into plate like objects that were used to serve food. Now fallen leaves that otherwise would get burned are collected from plantations, then cleaned and pressed into contemporary looking dinnerware at local factories in India. Over 80% of the water used during the steam process is recaptured and reused. Even the waste products are powdered down into fertilizer that’s returned to the farmers who supply the leaves. I love eco-friendly products that close the loop like that. 

The results are organic looking plates and bowls that are non-toxic, biodegradable and even compostable. The great thing about being compostable is that these sustainable products will not only break down within 2 months after use in home or industrial composting but also release valuable nutrients into the soil. VerTerra’s dinnerware is intended for single-use and a green alternative to plastic and paper plates. Something that certainly comes in handy these days for eco-friendly BBQs, beach parties or rooftop gatherings.

making the case for greener homes at the LOHAS Forum

Many speakers at the LOHAS Forum in Boulder last week stressed the relationship between health and sustainability that starts at home. One of the panelists about “Healthy Homes” mentioned that according to the EPA pollutant levels can be 2-5 times higher indoors than outdoors. That’s one scary fact and that’s why I like stores like Ellie’s that we visited during our LOHAS Insight Tour.

Ellie’s is a spacious eco-home store in Boulder that offers everything you can imagine to create a modern eco-friendly home. At the center of the store are all types of eco-friendly building materials ranging from natural cork flooring, bamboo plywoods to non-toxic paints and finishes. What I loved the most about the interior design of the store were the walls made out of the rapidly renewable resource Kirei and the refilling stations for non-toxic cleaners. I also like that Ellie’s teams up with local designers such as Bare Earth Design. The local family run business had one of their platform beds on display made of domestic walnut and Kirei using low VOC, non-toxic finishes. Another product that caught my eye was the natural soy crayons box by local company clementine art. The packaging looks beautiful and is made of 80% post consumer recycled and reusable materials. One common theme at the LOHAS Forum was that the future is now and you’re never too young or too old to start envisioning it. Maybe those colorful non-toxic crayons can help you with that.

modern abstract rug designs certified by GoodWeave

As a big advocate of great modern design combined with social responsibility I was thrilled to discover Amy Helfand’s rug designs at ICFF last month. Her Garland Rugs looked stunning with their dynamic patterns and are GoodWeave certified to ensure child-labor-free practices. Fluttering prayer flags of Nepal are the inspiration behind the Garland Rugs. The indigo looked gorgeous juxtaposed with cream and pops of saturated color. Her website illustrates how the Brooklyn based artist arrives at her abstract designs that go through several creative evolutions. In the case of the Garland Rugs you can see photographs of the actual prayer flags that are transformed into sculptures and then into abstract patterns for her rugs. I love how this process makes Eastern imagery accessible for modern home design. The Garland rugs are hand-knotted at 100 knots/inch in Nepal made of Chinese silk and Tibetan wool.

Amy Helfand is a member of the non-profit organization GoodWeave. It ensures that the rugs are produced in a child-labor-free environment. Through her contributions she also helps to fund rehabilitation and education for former child weavers. It’s a great example that designers can be agents of change and I can only hope that more artists will follow. Other companies that collaborate with GoodWeave include Angela Adams, IndiB and Judy Ross Textiles.

the perfect blend of sustainable cuisine with green decor

One of the advantages of spending summer weekends in the city is that hard-to-get reservations at restaurants are available. That’s how I got a table at ABC Kitchen without reservations. And not just any table but a table made from salvaged wood since ABC Kitchen is committed to sustainable décor as much as sustainable food. All food is prepared with organic and local ingredients whenever possible. None of their produce uses pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, insecticides or GMOs and most meat, fish and dairy is locally sourced. The same commitment to sustainable cuisine can be found in their selection of beverages such as tea, coffee or wine that are organic or fair trade. The restaurant’s location close to the farmers market at Union Square doesn’t hurt either. 

The restaurant was co-created between ABC Carpet & Home with chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Phil Suarez. It perfectly fuses a pre-dominantly white and sustainable décor with seasonal produce to create a pleasantly airy atmosphere. I’ve always loved the sustainable products at ABC Home & Planet and it’s great to see them utilized in a restaurant. The food is served on handmade porcelain dinnerware by local artisan Jan Burtz. Each piece is hand-built and hand glazed. The bread baskets are handcrafted by the indigenous mapuche people of Patagonia and are part of the ABC Goodwood Collection that also includes Jim Denney’s dining table made from salvaged wood. If you happen to be in town I can highly recommend the peekytoe crab toast appetizer.